Fire-kindler.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HOFF AND GEORGE H. KLOTTER, OF CINCINNATI, OIllO.

FIRE-KINDLER.

SPECIFICATION formngpart of Letters Patent No. 684,428, dated October 15, 1901. Application filed March 19, 1900. Serial No. 9,243. (Specimens.)

To (ZZ 20700712, it 777,04 concern:

Be it known that We, CHARLES HOFF and GEORGE H. KLOTTER, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Cincinnati, in the connty of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented Certain new and useful improvements in Fire-Kindlers, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certaiu improvements in fire-kindlers, and has for its object to provide a kindler made from Woodchips bou nd together by rosin or the like into a compact and convenient form for use.

The invcntion consists in Certain novel features of the improved fire-kindler Whereby Certain important advantages are attained and the dcvice is made simpler', eheaper, and otherwise better adapted and more convenient for use, all as Will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention Will be carefully defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Which serve to illustrate our invention, Figure l is a side elevation showing the improved fire-kindler,. and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken length- Wise through the same. Fig. 3 is au end elevation of the completed kindler, and Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken through the device.

In the views, 1 indicates the body of the improved kindler, formed of a mass of Wood- Chips loosely compacted by pressure into a cylindrical form 'and bound together by admixtnre With melted rosin, Which on cooling solidifies and bnds or holds the chips together in a porous mass.

The body 1 is formed With a central axial flne or passage 2, serving to promote combnstion of .the kindler by permitting access of the air to the interior of the porous mass, and in order to hold the kindler in shape and prevent as much as possible crumbling there of I provide a Wrapper 3 for the same, the said Wrapper being made, by preference, from WLXeCl or paraffined paper Wrapped around the cylindrical body l and having its extended edges folded over the ends of said body, as shown at 4, and pressed ortuoked into the ends of the axial flue 2, as seen at 5 in the drawings, in such a Way as to hold the Wrapper 3 in place on the body.

The kindler is made of Wood-chips bound together by rosin. The kindler-body 1 is given a porous nature, and the surfaces of the body, as Well as the Walls of the fine or passage 2, are given a certain degree of roughness, owing to the size, shape, and projection of the said chips, Which do not pack tightl together, but have intervening interstices, and thereby the fiame is given a more ready bold upon the combnstible and infiamlnable substances of which the kindler is formed,and the gases generated in the interior of the kinler by the heat are permitted to escape freely through the interstices to aid in the combustion. The interstices and flue or passage 2 permit the cylindrioal body 1 of the kindleralso tospread and crack open more freely under the heat, so as to give a greater flame than Would be otherwise possible, and said 7o interstices and passage also permit the kindler to be readily broken apart in case this is desirable before lighting the fire. The employment of rosin or similar material solid at ordinary temperatures insures a proper degree of solidity to prevent the kindler from crumbling or breaking down under ordinary pressures.

The Wrapper 3 enables the kindler to be con veniently handled or carried Without soil- 8o ing the hands orclothes and is also useful, since being of an inflammable nature it may be lighted by the match and employed for Starting the body of the kindler into blaze, but by reason of the openings at the ends of the fine 2 it is not even essential to remove the Wrapper before using the kindler, since a match applied in said fine Will serve to ignite the body of the kindler, and the fine and interstices Will admit suficient air to permit 9o combustion until the fiame is communicated to the outer Walls of the body and to the Wrap- )er 3. r

I The improved kindler constructed according to our invention is extremely inexpem sive and is very convenient and desirable for use on account of the ease With hich the fire may be kindled and also on account of its' cleanliness. It Will also be obvious from the above description that the improved kindler Ico is capable of some modification Without material departure from the principles and spirit of the invention, and for this reason We do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise form of the device herein shown.

IIaving thus described our invention, What We claim, and desire to secnre byLetters Patent, is-

1. Are-kindlerconsistingof aporous body formed of wood-chips loosely eompaeted and bound together and rendered self-sustaining by a substance plastic under heat but Solid at ordinary temperatnres, said body having rongh surfaces and having a central flue and having between the particles of' fragmentai'y material interstices adapted for communication With said central fine and With said rongh surfaces to permit the escape of gases generated in the interior of the porons body and to insure the ignition of the kindler, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES HOFF. GEORGE H. KLOTTER.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN ELIAS JONES, J. D. THORNE. 

